


James is Oblivious but What Else is New

by Turtle_ier



Category: Sorted (Website) RPF
Genre: Awkward Crush, Awkward Flirting, Awkwardness, Crushes, Flirting, M/M, Multi, One-Sided Attraction, Secret Crush, Unrequited Crush, all relationships are implied
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-17
Updated: 2020-05-17
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:41:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,414
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24232993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Turtle_ier/pseuds/Turtle_ier
Summary: James doesn't notice, or at least doesn't act on, the fact that the other four Sorted members are interested in him. It's not HIS fault the others don't act on it.
Relationships: James Currie/Barry Taylor, James Currie/Ben Ebbrell, James Currie/Jamie Spafford, James Currie/Mike Huttlestone
Comments: 5
Kudos: 54





	James is Oblivious but What Else is New

1\. Jamie

The first thing Jamie noticed was the similarity between their names, but the second, lingering reaction was to James’ height. 

Jamie wasn’t a short bloke, not really anyway, and he was the tallest out of the rest of the four Sorted members, yet when James came along and stood beside him, Jamie couldn’t help but feel the height difference.

It was almost comforting, which Jamie would never admit aloud. The presence of the chef behind him during the Normal vs Chef battles was (usually) quite calming, and James desperately wanted all of them to do well, even if he was supposed to be competing against them.

“Separate them “ James mumbled without eggs in his hands, but after Barry looked at them like he didn’t know what to do with them.

“Slowly,” James said to himself (to Mike) as someone was trying to make a Swiss meringue and was just about to pour all the syrup in at once.

“Gently,” James whispered to Jamie as he went behind him to grab a spoon, his hand leaving a brand-like feeling on his side. Jamie really did try to be gentle with the fish after that, but he couldn’t help the shake in his hands or the way that his thoughts kept wandering to the person just behind him. No one else seemed to notice his weird behaviour though, aside from when Mike was trying to get him to explain his dish, but for what it was worth James didn't seem to notice.

“You alright, mate?” Mike had to ask, despite the cameras still rolling, and Jamie just nodded and kept working on his dish.

He could ponder on it more later, Jamie thought to himself, when the cameras weren’t rolling and he was preferably alone. 

2\. Barry

“He’s very… Orange.”

Ben snorted. “Orange. Couldn't you think of a more suitable adjective? Ginger? Red-headed?”

Barry glanced at Ben from the corner of his eye and then back to James, who stood across the room in an unusually bright (for him at least) turtleneck sweater. It was apparently from Mike’s comments on his appearance, mostly about his monochrome wardrobe, that had inspired the purchase of the marmalade coloured item. 

Under usual circumstances, Barry wouldn't have hesitated to call himself the most fashion forward of their crew, with his smart shoes and more expensive shirts, but even he had to admit that James’ new look was… cute? Handsome? Maybe even smart? 

The only thing he could say without calling him everything positive in the book was how the jumper contrasted nicely with the jeans and how it made his hair (and eyes) look brighter. 

“Baz, you're going red.”

Only finding the effort to mumble, he replied, “Fuck off.” 

Ben couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. “Is it the new look?”

For a moment, he thought about not saying anything, but instead sided with being honest.

“A little,” he said, still muffled from how he was holding a hand up to his mouth, fingers curled like it would stop the sound coming out completely. “It’s new.”

Ben hummed, “Yes. Like I just said. It does suit him, though, and makes me wonder if the days of grey are behind us.”

Barry didn’t dare say anything further on the issue, but felt his eyes falling back onto James’ jumper now and again, taking in the sharp lines of his torso and the shape of his arms through the fabric.

3\. Mike 

Mike was a flirt at the best of times, but since James couldn't help but be so pale and fluster-able, he usually ended up being the target of such comments. 

“How do you do that?” Make asked during the recording of a recipe-less cooking challenge. He’d started with honest intentions, standing beside James, but his eyes slid like butter on a hot plate towards the other man’s arms, and when the question popped into his head he couldn't help but voice it immediately. 

“Do what?” James asked, 

“Make your arms go all…” he went to poke one of James’ upper arms, but was just in time for James to uncross his arm. His finger poked James’ pectoral instead. 

The effect was immediate, with James jumping back and putting his hand over the offending area, and with Mike forcing himself to look away from James’ slowly reddening face and towards the camera instead, a bright, almost blinding smile on his face. 

“Hey!” James said around a smile and a blush, still holding on to himself. Mike could hear Jamie, Ben and Barry laughing in the background, but didn’t pay any attention to them until Barry spoke up.

“You just poked him in the boob!”

“The moob, more like,” Jamie pointed out.

“That hurt,” James said again, his voice coming out as breathy and high pitched, as it often did when he was embarrassed.

“Aw, mate,” Mike said through his shark-like grin, “do you want me to kiss it better?” 

James didn’t say anything to that, but the flush became darker and the others just laughed, trying to go back to what they were doing without dragging on the incident further, and yet Mike kept thinking about it. It was like he couldn’t help himself, thinking about the interaction and then finding his eyes wandering over to James. 

It took half an hour or so before James finally managed to get his skin under control, but far longer for Mike to stop thinking of it. 

4\. Ben

It’s a common fact by now that Ben’s more perceptive than most. 

“I think they’re interested in you, you know.”

It’s also a common fact that James is a bit less perceptive than most. 

James hummed, pulling one of his earphones out with a ‘pop’. “What did you say?” He asked, resting his head over the back of the couch to look at Ben.

“I think they’re interested in you. Or at least in something about you.”

“Why?”

It was such a simple question, and one with a million answers to boot, but Ben found himself stumbling over what to say. Should he mention Barry first, as a way of easing James into it? Or Jamie, since he had little chance of acting on it? Or Mike, since it was the most obvious and surely there was no way he missed the signs?

“I think you’re pulling my leg,” James said, putting his earphone back in.

“Keep an eye out,” Ben settled on saying, “You might actually see something for once.” 

James hummed and Ben went back to his desk, waiting now for the others to come back to the office from their lunch break. 

Sure enough, fifteen minutes later, Mike came back and went to his desk, but on the way there he dragged a hand through James’ hair, almost affectionately, if it weren’t for the expression on his face as he did it. He looked like he was longing, but James didn't say anything. 

Then, five minutes after that, Barry came through as well. He said hi to them all, with a nod, and went straight to his desk. They didn't really talk, although they didn't always do that anyway, but Ben couldn't help but notice Barry looking away from his computer screen a tad more than necessary, and definitely noticed where his eyes were going. 

Finally, Jamie came through last, a cardboard holder of five drinks for them all in hand. He put each of them on the other’s desks without much fanfare, and did the same with James, but James spoke up as Jamie put down the paper coffee cup. 

“Is this from that new place?” 

“Yeah. You wanted to try it out, right?”

James smiled in that subtle way that Ben _knew_ made the others giddy, and Jamie smiled like he’d been allowed to pet a particularly cute cat. But somehow, James didn't call any of the others out, and just went back to work.

Eventually, when James and Ben went to do their recipe testing in the kitchen, Ben started another hushed conversation.

“You saw it too, right?” 

“No? Not from them.”

Ben blinked. “What do you mean, not from them?”

“You were looking at me.”

Suddenly the air was out of Ben’s lungs. 

“Huh?”

“You were looking at me. You know, like you wanted… never mind.” 

“I’m not interested,” Ben found himself lying, “I’m, you know-”

“Yeah,” James easily took the bait, “Of course. Let’s get this recipe done so that we can type it up.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I started writing this at around Christmas, and I figured that if I didn't polish this up now and post it, I probably never would. 
> 
> If you enjoyed this, please do let me know by leaving comments, bookmarks, or kudos. :)


End file.
